Business Development Manager​/Applications Engineer - Optical Interconnect

About Us

Our Business Unit Lighting and Imaging offers smart solutions for light delivery and image transmission in demanding environments — from medical devices, industrial, and safety applications to aviation and automotive. With manufacturing sites in Europe and North America, and supported by SCHOTT’s global sales network, we are a leading supplier of high‑quality fiber optic and LED components.

• Identify high‑value market segments; analyze AI data center trends (e.g., change from copper to glass in scale‑up and scale‑out); develop multi‑year account strategies aligned with the SBF's commercial roadmap.
• Own full lifecycle of opportunities; maintain 3× pipeline coverage; provide CRM‑based forecasting; ensure pursuit discipline and qualification rigor.
• Act also as technical expert in AI data center – Fiber Optics discussions and customer meetings, guiding the customer to win‑win solutions (meeting customer requirements while optimizing the usage of Schott’s established technologies/efforts).
• Lead complex, cross‑functional projects across Engineering, Operations, Quality, Regulatory, and Finance to advance design, feasibility studies, new business development initiatives, and portfolio optimization.
• Establish and strengthen relationships with executive‑level decision makers (CTO, CIO, Program Directors, Supply Chain); serve as the primary commercial interface for strategic accounts.
• Shape value propositions, pricing strategies, and competitive positioning; build ROI‑based business cases; support margin expansion and commercial improvement initiatives.
• Build territory and account plans; deliver accurate monthly and quarterly forecasts; track performance KPIs and implement corrective actions.
• Drive CRM discipline, BD process standardization, and continuous improvement; enhance tools, governance, and business development workflows.
• Foster strong internal alignment across Sales, Marketing, Engineering, Operations, and Quality.
• Represent SCHOTT at key industry conferences; contribute to thought‑leadership, marketing collateral, and campaign strategy.

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, Materials Science, or closely related field;
  Master’s degree (MBA/MS) and/or formal training in strategy/finance preferred.
• 6-10 years in Business Development, Strategic Sales, or Product/Portfolio Management in Semiconductor or related high‑reliability component industries; proven capability closing complex technical deals.
• 12-15+ years of progressive responsibility in BD/Strategic Sales for semiconductor components (incl. lasers) or opto‑electronics/fiber optics (incl. data centers) with global key account ownership.
• Regular business travel (approx. 30% of the time) with focus on the Pacific region (i.e., Silicon Valley).
• Demonstrated success driving new business creation, shaping customer requirements, and leading multi‑stakeholder technical‑commercial initiatives at hyperscaler level.
• Strong technical skills, ideally linked to Fiber Optics and the application Data Centers, strong analytical and structured problem‑solving ability; excellent communication and presentation skills; proficiency with Microsoft 365 and CRM tools.
• Proven ability to lead cross‑functional teams without direct authority and manage multiple complex projects concurrently.
• Proven leadership of large, international, cross‑functional pursuits and executive stakeholder management preferred.
• Experience with M&A screening, due diligence, or integration; business portfolio optimization preferred.
• Record of driving commercial excellence (pricing, margin expansion, value‑based selling) and continuous improvement.
• Must be able to read, write, and speak English.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication, analytical and presentation skills are required.
• Due to the nature of work performed at this facility, US Person status may be required.

Total Compensation (Salary + Bonus) Pay Range: $110,000‑$190,000

Actual starting pay is determined by a number of factors including relevant skills, qualifications, and experience.

At SCHOTT, you can expect a unique corporate culture where we emphasize equity, diversity, and inclusion. We know: motivated and committed employees are the precondition for the success of our company.